Attendees at an Islamic event in Dearborn, Michigan, chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” to mark Al-Quds Day – a pro-Palestinian rally that takes place on the last Friday of Islamic Ramadan celebrations. Protestors gathered in the Michigan city dubbed the “America’s Jihad Capitol” exactly six months after the Hamas attack on Israel last October.
One participant, Tarek Bazzi, explained why such affairs are overtly anti-America, saying the last six months have demonstrated the reason. “Because the United States government provides funds for atrocities,” he said. Bazzi continued his explanation by noting that the event’s founder, Imam Khomeini, instructed protestors to “pour all of your chants and all of your shouts upon the head of America.”
Referring to President Biden as “Genocide Joe,” he noted remarks by activist Malcolm X, who described the United States as one of the “rottenest” countries ever to exist on Earth. Bazzi declared that ridding the world of Joe Biden is not enough, but America itself must be destroyed.
Dearborn’s Mayor Abdullah Hammoud condemned the chanting, calling it unacceptable. Sam Dubin from the Jewish Community Relations Council said it was “frightening” and not the majority view of the city’s Muslim and Arab communities. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hadidi of the Michigan Muslim Community Council said the event must be investigated for hate speech, adding it is “awful” for people living in America to hold it in such contempt.
Nevertheless, Dearborn continues to attract criticism for reportedly high levels of anti-America rhetoric and Islamic extremism. In February, the Wall Street Journal referred to the city as America’s Jihad Capitol, prompting President Biden to condemn the publication. Mayor Hammoud also criticized the article that suggested Dearborn was a hotbed of Hamas supporters. He added that he had instructed police to provide extra protection to mosques amid concerns that “Islamophobic” rhetoric online had inflamed tensions in the city. Biden tweeted that it was wrong to blame a group of people for the actions of a few.
